DARK AGES BYZANTINES-FRANKS

theodosian walls

A series of 5 defensive stone walls built around Constantinople, designed to protect the city from invasions and sieges. Gunpowder siege canons weakened walls, but not strong enough to capture city alone.

constantinople

The capital of the Byzantine Empire, strategically located between Europe and Asia, known for its significant role in trade and culture throughout history. City fell from sheer weight of numbers of ottoman forces.

Justinian

-wars against Arian Christians (ostrogoths and vandals)

-during Nika revolt buildings in Constantinople were destroyed

-eventually crushed the revolt

-Justinian’s code (roman laws from his own and previous eras creating a body of law that would be the basis for modern laws, many laws were inspired by Orthodox Christian values)

-hagia Sophia (opulent temple built by Justinian in Constantinople known as temple of holy wisdom

-justinian tried to recover w.roman empire lands lost to ostrogoths and vandals, succeeds through 20 years of warfare but could not maintain his victories

-wars and plagues left Eastern Roman empire weakened and bankrupted

theodora

-former prostitute

-married Justinian

-inspired Justinian to stay and fight during Nika revolt

nika revolt

fans at Hippodrome (similar to circus maximus) rioted, Justinian arrested leaders, people revolted against justinian, 35,000 people killed in one day as Justinian punishes the revolt

herakleios

-fought several wars against Persians

-returned from these wars with the True Cross

these wars came at great cost, Persia and Eastern Roman empire were exhausted by the wars leading to an opportunity for Islamic empires and nomadic groups to emerge with power

-exarchates

-themes system

in 636 he gathered 80,000 mean at battle of Yarmouk, heat and stand storm hurt byzantine troops, Arab commander Khalid defeated heraclius’s army, Syrians accepted Arabs as liberators

themes system

military districts where civilian administration of territory is replaced with military administration of territory, soldiers in themes were part time soldiers and farmers living in the territory year round, soldiers had a personal reason to defend their own land

exarchates

military headquarters outside of the heart of the Eastern Roman empire, such as those in Ravenna and carthage

caesaropapism

the state defining church policy; the emperor acting as the church/pope

iconoclasm

Christians develop faith in icons or believing these icons can cure ailments, religious leaders in Eastern Roman empire view worshiping icons as heretical

-“breaking of images” instituted by Eastern Roman emperors Leo III and his son Constantine V, outlaw the veneration of icons, disagreements over symbols is a factor in divisions between eastern and western churches

-pope condemns iconoclast policies of the emperor, so emperor removes control of papal state lands from the pope, the split deepens the divide between eastern and western empires

Irene

-has her son killed so she could rule

-she announces that iconoclasm is heresy falls on the side of the western/catholic church

-irene fostered closer ties with Charlemagne, a supporter of the pope

-she is sent into exile, but is considered a saint by the church for she restored the veneration of icons

basil II

-the Eastern Roman empire expands under great cost

-has private army of vikings

-areas that served as buffers were now apart of the empire meaning directly exposed to invasion

-after bails death many [arts of the empire revolted and starts to fall into decline

battle of manzikert

last major attempt by Byzantines to try to maintain territory and push back at growth of Islamic empire, alp arslan held of large attack allowed the Muslim Saljuqids to settle the Eastern region of the byzantine empire